Cover Story
The Legacy And Future Of Black Scene, A Window On Black Cultural And Political Life In The 1970s
Go here to read excerpts from Black Scene, a cultural and political magazine published in The West End during the 1970s and now is being resurrected by local writers and photographers. Rev. Leo Lesser Jr. is a name that is not widely recognized in Louisville, but his legacy is still being felt in the city. Lesser was…
10 Things To Do Under $5 This Week In Louisville (3/9)
TUESDAY, March 10 Mom & Me Mindfulness Parkland Boys and Girls Club Free | 5:30-7:30 p.m. Moms and their daughters, come for an evening of healthy snack making and guided yoga and meditation on National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Roots101 Poetry Slam Roots101: African American Museum Free for spectators, $7 for competitors | …
5 Things To Do In Louisville This Weekend (3/6)
FRIDAY, March 6 Louisville Arcade Expo Triple Crown Pavilion Prices vary | 2 p.m.-midnight The Louisville Arcade Expo features hundreds of pinball machines and vintage arcade and video games all set to free play. It starts on Friday but runs the entire weekend. As usual, there will be a mixture of ubiquitous flagship titles (Mario,…
Point of view
Go here to read LEO’s package of stories and excerpts from Black Scene, a cultural and political magazine published in The West End during the 1970s and now is being resurrected by local writers and photographers. Court-ordered busing has infuriated many citizens throughout Jefferson County — both black and white. The white citizens have turned to various…
A tribute to Rev. Leo Lesser Jr.
Go here to read LEO’s package of stories and excerpts from Black Scene, a cultural and political magazine published in The West End during the 1970s and now is being resurrected by local writers and photographers. Reverend Leo Lesser, Jr., founder of Black Scene, our devoted friend and associate, passed away on December 3, 1974. It was…
Senate Candidates Declare Support For Universal Basic Income… But What Is It?
Progressive candidates running in the Democratic primary to defeat U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell have embraced a newly popular plan to lessen poverty: a universal basic income. In its purest form, a universal basic income is money that a government gives to all of its citizens no matter who they are or how much money they…
Savage Love: Full-Throated
Q: I’m a middle-aged gay man and I was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea. This is a disorder caused by the soft tissue in the throat collapsing during sleep. On top of making me feeling tired and awful all the time, sleep apnea is associated with a long list of health complications. I’m writing you…
Sober Side Of The Service Industry
For many folks who work your average nine-to-five, it’s not uncommon to engage in happy hour with coworkers or friends at the end of a long day or to pour a stiff drink at home as we curl into the plushness of our sofas with a glass of Pinot and the latest episode of “Love…
Louisville black police officers organization
Go here to read LEO’s package of stories and excerpts from Black Scene, a cultural and political magazine published in The West End during the 1970s and now is being resurrected by local writers and photographers. Not by choice, but out of necessity. Just as there is a necessity for Black Pride, Black Muslims, Black Journal, Black Panthers…
Good Pizza, Salad, Beer, Wine And More At Colonial Gardens’ Union 15
Some say that pizza goes with wine. Some say beer. I’m firmly on both sides of this argument. Want to run a taste test? We headed for The South End to check out Union 15, the pizzeria that opened last summer in Colonial Gardens. Colonial Gardens, the historic beer garden on the fringe of Iroquois…
Letters To The Editor
Go here to read LEO’s package of stories and excerpts from Black Scene, a cultural and political magazine published in The West End during the 1970s and now is being resurrected by local writers and photographers. As a registered voter of the Twelfth Ward, I am deeply disturbed with the position given to a Black Alderwoman from…
Comic Book Reviews: ‘Hidden Society’
‘Hidden Society’ No. 1 Writer Rafael Scavone and artist Rafael Albuquerque Review by Krystal Moore, The Great Escape Louisville “Hidden Society” No. 1 opens in 1979 with a poker game in a dive bar. Enter Mercy, a woman who looks like she is not to be messed with. Naturally, the man pulling a gun to…
Good career switch?: A Q&A with comedian Bill Boronkay
Bill Boronkay worked around the country as a sportcaster. But after ESPN passed him over, he turned to comedy. “A co-worker even told me once, ‘You aren’t sure if you want to be a sportscaster or a comedian,’” he said. “Turns out she was right.” See this week if he made the right choice. LEO:…
An LBGTQ Legend’s Musical
It’s been about 20 years since the debut of Louisville playwright Larry Muhammad’s play “Kentucky Colonel,” a biographical drama about the life of Frank Stanley Sr., the long-time publisher of the Louisville Defender newspaper. Since then, Muhammad has created a rich and varied body of work, all rooted in African American history and experience. He’s…
Sonic Breakdown: Hazelfire — ‘Sharkbait’
[LEO’s biweekly Sonic Breakdown column deconstructs a single song from an area musician or band.] Hazelfire vocalist and guitarist Hazel Kuran said that while “Sharkbait” was inspired by the children’s movie “Finding Nemo,” the song’s themes are much deeper and darker. “The meaning of the song is much more serious than most would assume,” Kuran…
Zack Stefanski set to release new record, 5hrs
Zack Stefanski’s music is meticulous and contemplative, a rich tapestry of interwoven compositional elements that are simultaneously accessible and challenging. On his newest album 5hrs, Stefanski meditates on his literal distance from his family. Growing up in Aurora, Illinois, Stefanski’s relocation to Louisville comes at a cost: not being able to be there in the…
Steve Albini’s Passion Project: Famed producer talks about Shellac, Spotify and the political climate
How do you come up with questions for one of the most interesting characters in the history of indie rock? It’s no small feat with Steve Albini, who has been at the vanguard of music as a punk provocateur in bands such as Big Black and Rapeman and as an engineer with credits that include…
Thorns & Roses: The Worst, Best, & Most Absurd
Thorn: littering = lynching, Tommy? What other state than Kentucky is home to so many wing nut politicians? Matt Bevin. Mitch McConnell. Rand Paul. Jim Bunning… A special straitjacket must be reserved for U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, who was one of only four congressmen to vote against making lynching a federal hate crime. “I voted…
Moving Home: Where Church And State Converge At Kentucky’s Foster Care Crisis
It was early evening in late August, and former Gov. Matt Bevin was talking into a microphone on a stage in the youth sanctuary at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington. He had arrived late and was wearing the same black suit and blue tie he’d worn earlier that day to escort President Donald Trump around…
Black Of House Needs To Go #BeyondTheBar
So, this may come as a bit of a surprise to you, but I’ve been Black for… let me think… all my life — which, according to Malcolm Gladwell, makes me an expert at it (I tend to agree). I’ve mastered avoiding the police, picking up on passive racism and knowing you aren’t really cleaning…
Dragging Out GOP Homophobia
“We use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency and guilt that chain the human spirit.” That is the mission statement of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, which uses drag and performance art to raise money for charities. Well, The Derby City Sisters — the local chapter of the Sisters of…
